USTC essay 05

In a broad sense, education is the process of learning knowledge, skills, values and so on. Higher education is relative to primary education and skill education. The reason why higher education is higher is that it teaches us not only professional knowledge, but also self-awareness, exploration of the universe, independent thinking and multiple values.

In China, exam-oriented education is a problem for a long time, especially in high school. Higher education is not merely teaching students how to pass the exams and get degrees. What’s more, it should inspire them to acquire something beyond book knowledge, such as how to think when encountering problems, how to get along with other peopleand cultivate independent personality. In other words, building up emotion quotient is more importantly than intelligence quotient. I think the meanings of higher education can be listed as follows.

1. Learn professional knowledge. It is the foundation of our future work after graduation.

2. Cultivate the ability of interpersonal communication, lecture, advanced reading, writing and creative thinking. After obtaining these skills, even if we face a new career environment, we are able to adapt.

3. Cultivate the ability of critical thinking. In the face of various public opinions, we should learn independent thinking and make the right decisions. We should listen to others with an open mind but not drift with the current. Personally, I think this point is what Chinese higher education lacks.

4. Build up the consciousness of civic spirit. As a member of society, we need to have a sense of responsibility to serve the society. Concretely, it includes participating in the election vote, volunteer service, joining the army, etc. This is also missing in Chinese higher education.

5. Create healthy habits. A healthy body will make us think faster and work more efficiently.

6. Build up the spirits of love and gratitude. Learn to love life and be grateful for what life gives us. This will help us maintain a healthy mind.

The purpose of higher education is to inspire the next generation for our country. To sum up, the generation must have enough spiritual beliefs to resist the temptations of wealth and power, and not surrender themselves to hardships; they must have a wide range of knowledge; they must have keen observation and judgment. People who have finished the whole higher education are the main force to reform society.

I think there are no statements more appropriate than the mottoes of world-famous universities in the interpretation of “what is higher education”. Below are several representative ones.
Oxford University: The lord is my illumination.
Harvard University: Let Plato be your friend, and Aristotle, but more let your friend be truth.
Yale University: Truth and light.
MIT: Mind and hand.
Princeton University: In the nation’s service and in the service of all nations.
United States Military Academy at West Point: Duty, honor.
Toronto University: As a tree with the passage of time.
University of Cape Town: Good hope.